1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to retractable awnings of the type adapted to be mounted on a substantially vertical support surface having a roll bar supported by a pair of support arms and rafter arms for moving the awning between extended and retracted positions, and more particularly to an improved slide member for slidably connecting one end of a rafter arm to an associated support arm.
2. Description of the Known Art
Retractable awnings of the type which are adapted to be mounted on a substantially vertical support surface have been in use for many years with early primary uses being to cover windows, doors and the like of commercial or residential establishments. In more recent years, such awnings have been used on recreational vehicles, mobile homes and the like wherein different problems are encountered and, accordingly, design changes have needed to be made.
Most retractable awnings include a pair of support arms which carry a roll bar on their outer end around which the canopy for the awning can be rolled and unrolled. In addition, rafter arms are provided which extend beneath opposite side edges of the canopy and have outer ends slidably connected to the support arms to brace the awning in its extended position. Many current day retractable awnings are designed so that the support arms have a channel-shaped configuration into which an associated rafter arm can be nested when the awning is in its retracted position. A slide member has been used to interconnect a rafter arm to an associated support arm with the slide member being adapted to slide along the length of the support arm during movement of the awning between extended and retracted positions.
Typically, the support arms have an inner end connected to a support surface while the opposite or outer end is connected to the roll bar. Similarly, one edge of an awning canopy is connected to the same support surface while the opposite edge is connected to the roll bar such that pivotal movement of the support arms away from the support surface causes the awning canopy to unroll from the roll bar until it is fully extended away from the support surface. An inner end of each rafter arm is also pivotally connected to the support surface, vertically above the connection of the support arm to the support surface, with the outer end of the rafter arm having the slide member attached thereto.
When moving the awning from the retracted position adjacent to the support surface to an extended position, the roll bar is initially allowed to move away from the support surface as the support arms are pivoted away from the support surface. Subsequently, the slide members on the outer end of the rafter arms are moved along the length of the support arms until they reach the outer end of the support arms. Systems have been employed for retaining the slide members at the outer ends of the support arms and such systems are of importance from the standpoint of rendering the awning "user friendly".
One problem with retractable awnings of the type described resides in the fact that after the slide members have been moved to the outer end of the associated support arms, the support arms, which are longitudinally extendable, need to be extended to place the roll bar in an elevated condition, but unless there are two operators for extending the support arms at opposite ends of the awning simultaneously, the elevation of one end of the roll bar before the other end places a strain in the sliding joint between the support arm and the rafter arm. Further, the systems for securing the slide member at the outer end of an associated support arm have been criticized for being difficult to operate when manipulating the relatively heavy awnings.
It is to overcome the shortcomings in prior art systems and to provide a new and improved system for moving a retractable awning between retracted and extended positions that the present invention has been developed.